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F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T

SPONSOR Stewart

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

2-19-2007

3-6-2007 HB 1090/aHEC

SHORT TITLE School Personnel Level 3 Licenses

SB

ANALYST Dearing

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY07

FY08

*NFI

*Please see narrative

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

ESTIMATED ADDITIONAL OPERATING BUDGET IMPACT (dollars in thousands)

FY07

FY08

FY09 3 Year

Total

Cost

Recurring

or Non-

Rec

Fund

Affected

Total

*Indeterminate *Indeterminate

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Department of Finance and Administration (DFA)

Public Education Department (PED)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of HEC Amendment

1. On page 3, lines 10 through 18, strike Subsection E in its entirety and insert in lieu thereof:

"E. The department shall grant a level three-B license to an applicant who:

House Bill 1090/aHEC – Page

2

(1) has been a level three-A teacher for at least one year or who holds a current level 2 teacher's

license and who, for at least four years, has held the highest-ranked counselor license as provided

in Chapter 22, Article 10A NMSA 1978 and rules promulgated by the department;

(2) has satisfactorily completed department approved courses in administration and a department

approved administration apprenticeship program; and

(3) demonstrates instructional leader competence required by the department and verified by the

local superintendent through the highly objective uniform statewide standard of evaluation."

House Education Committee amendments make minor changes to the proposed legislation,

thereby clarifying its intention. The intent of the changes is such that the highest ranked coun-

selor’s license is held by the applicant, as opposed to a level 3-A counselor. A level 3-A coun-

selor license, as used in the original bill, is not the correct terminology. Additionally, the initial

bill specified that the applicant hold that license for 6 years, whereas the amended version has

reduced this requirement to 4 years.

Synopsis of Original Bill

House Bill 1090 carries no appropriation. House Bill 1090 amends Sections 22-10A-11 such

that provisions for counselors are now added to that of the existing teachers and school adminis-

trators for a level 3 licensure and salary structure. Enactment of House Bill 1090 would extend

authority to the department to grant a level 3-B license to a level 3-A counselor, provided that

individual has been in a counselor role for a minimum of 6years.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

House Bill 1090 carries no significant fiscal impact. House Bill 1090 will allow seasoned coun-

selors holding a 3-A counselor’s license the ability to obtain a 3-B administrators license. Other

criteria for licensure at the 3-B level must still be completed by the applicant such as progression

through administrative courses, an administrative apprenticeship, and demonstration of compe-

tency in a leadership role.

Counselors obtaining the 3-B license, and employed as principles would then be compensated at

the following minimum ten-month contract levels, however a 3-B license allows the ability to

hold other positions such as assistant principles, superintendents, and deputy superintendents.

Schools with < 200 students,

$58,000

Schools with > 200, < 400 students, $60,000

Schools with > 400, < 600 students, $62,000

Schools with > 600, < 800 students, $64,000

Schools with > 800, < 1000 students, $66,000

Schools with > 1000 students, $68,000

*The fiscal effect will be generally neutral as there are a fixed number of school administrators.

The legislation proposed in House Bill 1090 will increase the applicant pool for these positions.

House Bill 1090/aHEC – Page

3

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

Enactment would require rule adjustment for department administration of licenses.

OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

According to the Office of Educational Accountability, “increasing the potential pool of quali-

fied applicants for administrative positions in New Mexico is important because school districts

are reporting difficulties in finding enough qualified applicants for principal and assistant princi-

pal positions. A 2005 survey conducted by the OEA conducted found that two-thirds of the 57

districts that responded to the survey reported that both the quality and quantity of applicants for

principal positions have decreased over the last ten years. In addition, 51% of the 531 schools

that responded to the survey had three or more principals in the ten-year span between 1994 and

2004."

PD/nt